Why North Oakland's Bar Underwood Became Bar 41

“Jack Kerouac owned an Underwood typewriter. As a huge fan of Kerouac and other beatnik writers, Christopher Parks was thrilled to buy North Oakland’s Cafe Underwood and turn it into Bar Underwood. “I really wanted to celebrate the idea that this is named after a classic typewriter,” he said, explaining his goal to slowly “transition to a 1920s Paris, Hemingway hangout.”

But for the past couple of months, customers kept assuming Bar Underwood was still Cafe Underwood. The staff changed, the food changed, and the espresso machine departed, and regulars were displeased. Parks realized he and his business partner Stacy Vella needed to change the name and truly define their efforts. Now, BarUnderwood is Bar 41 (308 41st St.).